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Amazing how the taste of a freshly baked egg kichel can bring back so many joyful memories!

It started with a Facebook post by a friend. She posted something from My JewishLearning.com, entitled “Kichels Recipe: Jewish Bow Tie Cookies. (See link below, it includes the recipe.)

A few of my friends started commenting on the post about how much they loved these cookies, including me. I commented: “My grandpa made these in his bakery and continued making them for us. I loved them. I would glad to be a tester for you!”

Next thing I knew I had committed to meeting a different friend and making them. What a delight! She had posted that her Bubbie made these treats. And she wanted to make them again. I was all in! (I do feel a bit of guilt that we did not have the person who posted the article with us!)

You do not bake egg kichel, you fry them. You do not need much, just flour, salt, vinegar, eggs, oil and powdered sugar. Mixing bowls, a mixer and a frying pan, along with lots of paper towels are required. I promise you an hour or so of fun, and then a delicious reward.

One of our early batches. A bit too thick!

We learned something from our foray into making them. The dough does have to be paper thin! It is best to have all the dough rolled out and cut into strips before heating up the oil. And really, you must make sure the oil is hot, hot, hot before you start putting the dough strips into the frying pan.

My friend was in charge of mixing, then rolling out the dough, and making the paper-thin morsels for us to fry. The learning experience commence with our first frying. The strips were too thick. So for the next batch, she started cutting the strips and rolling them out again. SUCCESS!

The excitement once we did it correctly was encompassing. Each rectangle of dough would almost instantly turn white, bubble up and float to the top of the oil. In a few moments one side would be golden brown, and I would flip them over. Watch them a few moments more and then out into the towel to soak up extra oil. Then I sifted the powdered sugar over them.

I combined some batches. But here they are letting the oil soak out!

We had to try one from each batch to taste the difference. The thinner the dough, the hotter the oil, the crispier the fried kichel, the better it tasted. We had six batches, so we had to try six. YES! We really did!

I am so happy my friend not only said that we need to make them one afternoon, she set a date! It was not only the fun of tasting and frying, it brought back the memories of cooking with our grandparents. We cannot bring them back, but we can in our minds relive happy moments like this!

Mine are on the right!

Even after tasting, we had so much left over. We divided them up relatively evenly. I suggested she keep extra as she has a grandson living close by to help in the eating. But I was happy to bring a plate home for my husband and me.

My husband doesn’t have the same memories. He never tasted egg kichel. A Shanda! Can you imagine never eating them? I cannot. But then he did not have anyone to bake traditional cookies and treats when he was growing up. Both of his grandmother’s died very young.

For me, however, each snap of a kichel in my mouth along with the melting of the powder sugar gives me joy. Oy! Egg Kichel! It is so delicious